Approved Minutes Housing and Communities 22 02 23
West Dunbartonshire Council · 22 February 2023
Back to Housing & Communities Committee — 22 February 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE At a Hybrid Meeting of the Housing and Communities Committee held in the Civic Space, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton on Wednesday, 22 February 2023 at 10.00 a.m. Present: Councillors Ian Dickson, Gurpreet Singh Johal, David McBride, Jonathan McColl, James McElhill, Michelle McGinty, Lawrence O’Neill, Lauren Oxley, Martin Rooney, Hazel Sorrell and Sophie Traynor. Attending: Peter Hessett, Chief Executive; Peter Barry, Chief Officer – Housing and Employability; Angela Wilson, Chief Officer – Supply, Distribution and Property; John Kerr, Housing Development and Homelessness Manager; Martin Feeney, Building Services Manager; Alan Young, Housing Asset and Investment Manager; Michael McDougal, Legal Officer and Nicola Moorcroft and Lynn Straker, Committee Officers. Also Attending: Chief Superintendent Lynn Ratcliff and Chief Inspector Ryan McMurdo, Police Scotland; Area Commander Joe McKay, Argyll and Bute, East and West Dunbartonshire, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. Apology: An apology for absence was intimated on behalf of Councillor John Millar. Councillor Gurpreet Singh Johal in the Chair STATEMENT BY CHAIR – AUDIO STREAMING Councillor Singh Johal, Chair, advised that the meeting was being audio streamed and broadcast live to the internet and would be available for playback. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST It was noted that, there were no declarations of interest in any of the items of business on the agenda.
Page 2
RECORDING OF VOTES The Committee agreed that all votes taken during the meeting would be done by roll call vote to ensure an accurate record. OPEN FORUM The Committee noted that no open forum questions had been submitted by members of the public. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The Minutes of the Meeting of the Housing and Communities Committee held on 23 November 2022 were submitted and approved as a correct record. WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE - LOCAL POLICING PLAN (LLP) RENEWAL A report was submitted by the Divisional Commander, Police Scotland setting out the West Dunbartonshire Local Policing Plan 2023 – 2026. After discussion and having heard Chief Superintendent Ratcliff in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to approve the contents of the West Dunbartonshire - Local Policing Plan (LLP) 2023 – 2026. SCRUTINY REPORTS (A) POLICE SCRUTINY REPORT QUARTER 3 2022/23 A report was submitted by the Divisional Commander, Police Scotland providing members with an update for Quarter 3 2022/23. After discussion and having heard Chief Superintendent Ratcliff and Chief Inspector McMurdo, Police Scotland, the Committee agreed to note the update provided. (B) FIRE AND RESCUE SCRUTINY REPORT A report was submitted by the Local Senior Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service providing appropriate performance data measured against priorities in the West Dunbartonshire Local Fire and Rescue Plan. After discussion and having heard Area Commander McKay, Argyll and Bute, East and West Dunbartonshire, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Committee agreed to note the content of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service West Dunbartonshire Council Report.
Page 3
HOUSING AND EMPLOYABILITY DELIVERY PLAN 2022/23 INTERIM REPORT A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Housing and Employability, setting out the interim progress of the Housing and Employability Delivery Plan 2022/23. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Housing and Employability, in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to note the progress achieved. SUPPLY, DISTRIBUTION AND PROPERTY DELIVERY PLAN 2022/23 – HOUSING ASSET AND INVESTMENT AND BUSINESS SERVICES A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Supply, Distribution and Property, setting out the interim progress of the Housing Asset and Investment and Building Services priorities within the Supply, Distribution and Property Delivery Plan 2022/23. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Supply, Distribution and Property, in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to note the progress achieved. MORE HOMES WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE – WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUPPLY DELIVERY PROGRAMME A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Housing and Employability providing an update on the progress of West Dunbartonshire’s More Homes Programme, which oversees the delivery of the Council’s new home building programme. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Housing and Employability and the Housing Development and Homelessness Manager, in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note that following the issue of the papers for the meeting, an erratum notice had been issued which contained a revised version of the report; (2) to note the content of the revised report and the progress made to date, in the delivery of the Council’s More Homes West Dunbartonshire approach, including the practical completion and handover of the latest development project at Queens Quay (Site B); (3) to note the commencement of groundworks at the Clydebank East Housing Development in January 2023; (4) to note the successful funding application to the Scottish Government’s Vacant and Derelict Land Fund of £1.25m to support the Pappert Housing Development;
Page 4
(5) to approve the transfer of the site at Queen Mary Avenue, Clydebank, with vacant possession, at the cost of £140,000, from the Council’s General Fund, to the Housing Revenue Account for the delivery of new Council homes; and (6) to note the delay in the acquisition of the former Clydebank Health Centre site, at the cost of £707,400, from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, for the delivery of new Council homes. WILLOX PARK SHELTERED HOUSING COMPLEX A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Housing and Employability providing an update on the action the Council has taken to understand the damp and mould problems experienced by the tenants at Willox Park. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Housing and Employability and the Housing Development and Homelessness Manager, in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the content of the report and the progress made to date, in carrying out initial surveys and approve spend for future surveys and required works at Willox Park Sheltered Housing Complex. (2) to approve the temporary suspension of letting activity at the complex whilst further surveys are completed. (3) to note the expected timescales for completion of surveys (Q1 2023) and expected information and recommendations for the future of the homes (Q2 2023, subject to findings of surveys); and (4) to note that a further update report will be provided to the next meeting of the Housing and Communities Committee. HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 31 DECEMBER 2022 (PERIOD 9) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the financial performance to 31 December 2022 (Period 9) of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) revenue and capital budgets for 2022/23. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Housing and Employability in further explanation, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the revenue analysis showed projected adverse variances of £2.116m however, this would be offset by reducing the contribution from revenue to capital (CFCR) therefore netting to a revenue break-even position ; and
Page 5
(2) to note the net projected annual position in relation to the capital plan was highlighted as an in-year adverse variance of £27.772m (42.33%) which was made up of re-profiling of £31.671m (48.27%) and overspend of £3.899m (5.94%) as detailed in Appendix 4 of the report. FINANCIAL REPORT 2022/23 AS AT PERIOD 9 (31 DECEMBER 2022) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the financial performance to 31 December 2022 (Period 9) of those services under the auspices of the Housing and Communities Committee. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Housing and Employability in further explanation, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the contents of the report which showed the revenue budget forecast to overspend against budget by £0.079m (1.71%) at the year-end. (2) to note the net projected annual position in relation to relevant capital projects showed no projected variance; and (3) to note the progress on efficiencies incorporated into budgets for 2022/23. The meeting closed at 11.48 a.m.